LIDF FFSC – Pakistan Day at the British Museum

by Sarwar Mushtaq, Eckova

It was an enjoyable and energized Saturday at the British Museum, in spite of the rain.  The Pakistan Day event was attended by about 100 people, including students, press, film makers, members of the British Pakistani community, and others. The eleven films were shown over two sessions.  Each session was followed by a panel discussion and a Q&A session. Both panels were chaired and moderated by Patrick Hazard.

Session 1 Panel:

• Athar Hussain Director of the Asia Research Centre, LSE
• Anwar Akhtar, Director of The Samosa, a digital media, culture, arts and politics project, focusing on Britain and South Asia
• Ali Sheikh, Sumayya Hafeez & Sehar Palijo, student filmmakers

Session 2 Panel:

• Faissal Hameed, Lecturer in Islam and Politics,
• Maha Hosain Aziz, Senior Teaching Fellow in South Asian Politics, SOAS / Asia Insight Columnist, Business Week
• Asma Shah, Film Maker, Director of Modernizing Madrassas
• Alizeb Raees, Nabiha Khan & Kiran Ahmed, student filmmakers

Each of the expert panelists gave their view of the importance of showing the ‘real’ Pakistan through such films and commended the film makers on their efforts. All the 11 films received praise from the audience. The attendees also expressed appreciation for the students and their effort. Several questions and comments came from the audience and were responded to ably by the students. Many of the questions were directed at the distribution and dissemination of the films in Pakistan and the UK.

After a short break, there was an informal discussion session between the visiting Pakistani filmmakers and some young London filmmakers. Everyone watched a film from the project Hidden Herstories. This was followed by a light, informative and very encouraging exchange of ideas between everyone present. Mr. Anwar Akhtar of Samosa joined in the discussion offering noteworthy insight.

Sunday was shopping and sightseeing, followed by a screening of a Brazilian film in the evening, with a night on the town in the works.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

See more photos from LIDF at the FLICKR gallery

Equinox

Film Synopsis:

Ever since 9/11, to most people; the word Muslim meant terrorist. Still now to a lot of people, Madrasa means a training ground for terrorists. This film shines light upon the structure and function of a true and proper Madrasa situated in Pakistan, as well as a brief intake on Jihad — something the media had neglected to do.

Filmmakers:

Sarah Masood, Zohaib Siddiqui, Ghayas Uddin, Karachi University

Go to the YouTube Filmmaking for Social Change Channel and view and comment on all the films.

Visit the web page for this film

Bookmark and share your links with your Facebook friends as you follow.

Reason to Be

Film Synopsis:

Do extremist values inspire or repress art in Pakistan? The film follows an artist whose work has had a controversial reaction due to religion / politics / society. Looking at liberal / conservative values and how this has affected or inspired his work. It shows the contradictions he has faced in daily life and what inspires him to continue with his work, despite the issues surrounding him. His work in a gallery is shown and people’s response to it. Artist Iqbal Hussain.

Filmmakers:

Awais Ahmed- University of the Punjab, Lahore; Huma Akbar- Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore; Kamran Khan- University of the Punjab, Lahore

Go to the YouTube Filmmaking for Social Change Channel and view and comment on all the films.

Visit the web page for this film

Bookmark and share your links with your Facebook friends as you follow.

Paper Bus

Film Synopsis:

What are the unintended consequences of protests against terrorism?

A day in the life of a bus driver whose bus was set on fire during a riot against terrorist activity. Focusing on how an ordinary man rebuilds his life after losing everything.

Filmmakers: Sehar Palijo, Karachi University;  Bilal Lati, Karachi School of Arts

Go to the YouTube Filmmaking for Social Change Channel and view and comment on all the films.

Visit the web page for this film

Bookmark and share your links with your Facebook friends as you follow.

Open the Blindfolds

Film Synopsis:

Pakistan is a country notorious for its religious extremism. But is that the whole story? What is the fate of religious minorities here, for example? Open the Blindfolds sets out to answer this question by visiting a few missionary schools in Karachi.

Filmmakers: Summaiya Hafeez, Talha Ahmed, Ali Ahmed Brohi. PAF KIET, Karachi University, Karachi School of Arts. Karachi

Filmmakers Summaiya Hafeez, Talha Ahmed and Ali Ahmed Brohi

Go to the YouTube Filmmaking for Social Change Channel and view and comment on all the films.

Visit the web page for this film

Bookmark and share your links with your Facebook friends as you follow.

PAKISTAN: Filmmaking for Social Change @ LIDF 2010

Date:	Saturday, May 1, 2010
Time:	12:00pm – 6:00pm
Location:	The British Museum
City:	City of London, United Kingdom

For the second year running, LIDF has developed and led documentary filmmaking workshops in Karachi, Pakistan supported by the British High Commission in Islamabad. Thirty students from Karachi and Lahore were trained in documentary history, theory and shown a selection of LIDF’s best documentaries from the past 3 years, before embarking on the production of their own.

The result is 11 short films all dealing with issues relating to the effects of terrorism in Pakistan today. These films will be premiered at the British Museum in London, and students will be present to participate in post-film discussions.

Stevenson Theatre, each session is £3. Please book at the British Museum box office.

This is posted on a Facebook Event page. Click to see the full schedule for the day and to RSVP
– http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=116585288353103

PK783

Film Synopsis:

Why do people leave Pakistan for good?
The film follows a young man who is about to give up everything he has ever known for what he thinks is a more promising world. What drives an individual to make such a decision?

Filmmakers: Kiran Ahmad, Paiman Hussain, Hafsa Pasha. Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture , Karachi, Pakistan

Filmmakers with Patrick Hazard of LIDF

Go to the YouTube Filmmaking for Social Change Channel and view and comment on all the films.

Visit the web page for this film

Bookmark and share your links with your Facebook friends as you follow.

Statistics

Film Synopsis:

The film talks about the people who die in bomb blasts by narrating the story of a single person. This person represents all of the other people who have died in bomb blasts. It shows the after-effects of the blast on their family, deals with their life before the blast and how people around them suffer since their death. But they are just statistics of the bomb blast victims for rest of the world.

The film is shot in Lahore and Azad Kashmir.

Filmmakers: Alizeb Raees & Ali Hameed, Lahore, Beaconhouse National University (BNU) & National College of Arts (NCA). Film for LIDF 2010 Filmmaking for Social Change. www.filmmakingforsocialchange.com

Filmmakers: Alizeb Raees & Ali Hameed, Lahore, Beaconhouse National University (BNU) & National College of Arts (NCA).

Go to the YouTube Filmmaking for Social Change Channel and view and comment on all the films.

Visit the web page for this film

Bookmark and share your links with your Facebook friends as you follow.